The basics to any (non-creamy) salad dressing recipe are oil and vinegar.  In addition, there can be spices and herbs of any kind, as well as salt and pepper added, but the oil and vinegar are the base that any great vinaigrette is made from. The unique thing about these two foundational ingredients is that they do not mix .  You can pour vinegar into a container and then oil, and they will sit, separated.  By nature, oil and vinegar do not seem to mix or partner well.  But with a vigorous stir, or jostling, or shake:  these two elements will  combine and mix to produce a united solution (dressing) that can be a delicious elixir for salads, vegetables or meats. But you wouldn't think so from viewing their (separated) states initially. Oil and vinegar don't initially appear as if they will mix well...but they do! I found oil and vinegar in Psalm 149 today.   God speaks of our (beautiful) call to praise  Him with singing, dancing, instruments ...

Buc-ees (pronounced "buckeys") has highway billboards leading up to its establishments from miles (states!) away.  Drivers (and passengers) are advised and advertised and alerted from great distances that a Buc-ees is approaching...or rather, that we (in our vehicles) are approaching it. The Buc-ees-store doesn't move, but they advertise because they don't want us to miss it, or blow-by it as we motor down the freeway. And--take it from someone who's been there: Buc-ees is worth the stop!  Just about everything in their store is branded "Buc-ees", and somehow when you walk in, you want one of everything(!), whether that is a Buc-ees coffee or Buc-ees soda,  ...a Buc-ees fuzzy one-piece beaver-pajama,  ...a Buc-ees BBQ brisket sandwich, Buc-ees beaver nuggets ( addictive caramel-flavored corn puffs that melt in your mouth),  ...and don't forget to fill-up on Buc-ees gasoline!  Their fuel is the best deal around, and lastly, you simply mu...

Writing out a birthday card to a friend the other day, I shared a verse that I delight to share as we contemplate and enter-in to a "new" or another year-of-life: Jeremiah 29:11 . For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   ~Jeremiah 29:11  I love to share this Biblical truth  with others that God has good   plans for us... plans to prosper  us ( and not to harm  us).  And this truth is good and true every day of every year of our lives (and not just on our birthday).   Yes, God has plans for us today, and they are to give us hope and a future.    But--we can't just close the birthday card (or the book of Jeremiah 29 ) and be  in God's prosper ous  plans  for us.  There has  to be some in between.  There must be a path between the promise and the actual , right?   But--how do we get the...

"Alpha and omega"  are big-brained, Greek terms for the absolute beginning/impetus/catalyst of things...God!    ...And for the absolute end/final/finale/finish/capstone of things= also  God. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”   Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  ( 6) He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  ~Revelation 21:5-6 God is trying to explain something to us that He knows  that we can't (fully) understand:  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 21:6).   God knows that He is speaking  to us: and because we are (mere) mortals, our minds (although intelligent) are limited in our (eternal) understanding, insight, and intelligence. We will not (can not!)  fully  grasp the power and holiness of God until we are fully in His presence, but  until then , God goe...